Evolution
by boombangbing
Summary: The old team meet every year. Vaguely inspired by 'The Boys Of Sunset Ridge' starring Ronny Cox Kinsey. SPOILERS for stuff that happens in S9. Character death. One Shot.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Don't sue me.**

The year Jack left the SGC the team promised to meet up every year, at his cabin. They'd have a beer or three, and talk about the fate or the universe.

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On the first annual get together they had an extra guest, Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Cam was thrilled to spend time with the famed Jack O'Neill. He really was like a little kid. They got drunk, laughed and declared the Ori were no match for the mighty SG-1.

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Three came to the door the year after. Mitchell had been killed leading an Ori attack away from earth. They sat in a row, Teal'c, Daniel and Sam, across from Jack. They discussed the possibility of Jack getting a dog. There was no laughing.

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The diminished SG-1 looked dishevelled the next year. Daniel had a livid bruise running down his jaw line. He said nothing, just stared into his bottle of budweiser. As the were leaving Jack pulled Sam aside.

"What's wrong with him?" he gestured to the doctor.

"Vala died, sir. They'd got... close."

She gave Jack a unconvincing smile before shuffling off after the men.

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Jack received a phone call four years after the initial, happy, year.

"It's Daniel, sir." Sam croaked. She sounded like she'd been up all night.

"What happened?"

"He - He's in coma. I can't explain now."

"Why wasn't I told?"

"We've been in lock down. No calls in, or out..." Sam trailed off as someone spoke to her.

"_What is it?" _he heard her ask.

"_It's Daniel Jackson. He is regaining consciousness."_

She made a little squeaking noise, "I have to go, sir."

"Wait, Sam -"

The line went dead. Jack slowly replaced the receiver.

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There were no visitors at the next get-together. Sam had been kidnapped and every available team was out searching. Jack had offered to join one of the said teams, but they fed him a line about needing men on the ground. She was found weeks later, badly injured. Jack was at the base when she was rushed to the infirmary.

"Will she be all right?" he asked Dr. Lam.

"We don't know yet." she answered.

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Daniel and Sam arrived together. Jack watched from the window as younger man jumped out of the driving seat, ran over to the passenger side, and gently helped Carter out. His arm around her waist, hers draped over his shoulder, they made their way slowly to Jack's door. Sam still wasn't fully recovered from her ordeal, and had to attend weekly physio. Jack opened the door before Jackson could ring the bell. His dog, Thor, barked up a storm.

"Hey. Where's Teal'c?"

Daniel sighed, "Bra'tac passed away. He went back to Chulak."

"Forever?"

"Maybe."

Their conversation was stilted and awkward. Sam sat very close to Daniel, and the general couldn't help but feel a spiky ball of jealous in his gut. Later, he found out that she had moved in with the doctor. They were... dating. Jack felt so alone.

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A great thing happened the next year, the Ori were defeated. Daniel treated them to dinner at a fancy restaurant, and kissed Sam on the cheek. She giggled nervously, eyes darting to Jack and then back at her boyfriend. He was oblivious, or pretended to be.

"A toast, to us." Daniel said, holding his glass up. They clinked.

All Jack remembered was Daniel kissing Sam.

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When that time of year inevitably rolled around again, there were only one on Jack's doorstep.

"We broke up." Daniel muttered.

"Right." Jack felt a burst of glee as he looked at his friend's miserable face, "Come in."

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They drifted apart even further in the next four years. Daniel kept coming over, out of... duty? But things had changed considerably now. Jackson had taken on a more administrative role at the base, Teal'c had moved permanently back to Chulak, only visiting every now and then, and Sam had retired. Jack spoke to her occasionally, but she was distant and he was stubborn.

So, it surprised him when his doorbell chimed, a dozen years after the first meeting. Thor barked himself hoarse, visitors were rare these days.

He opened the door, "Carter?"

"Sir." she smiled a little, fussing with the sleeves of her jacket.

"What... what are you doing here?"

"Uh, well, I just thought... Maybe... we could catch up?" she shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry, it was stupid of me to think... I'll go."

She turned and strode back to her car. Jack stood in the doorway, frozen. Thor jumped up at him, gazing at him with big brown canine eyes. _What is wrong with you, _they said, _you're seriously going to let her walk away?_ Her car was all ready pulling out of the drive now. He ran to catch up with it.

"Wait!" he banged on her window. She stopped, and rolled the it down.

"Yes?" she said uncertainly.

"I just thought... Maybe -" he blushed, feeling like a school boy. "Would you like to have some... coffee?"

"You have coffee, sir?"

"Uh, no. I've got beer though."

She grinned. "Sounds good to me, sir."

She got out, and followed him back to the cabin. He stopped abruptly.

"Sam?"

She looked a little shocked to be called by her christian name, "Yes sir?"

"Call me Jack."

She tilted her head, "Jack." she said softly.

"Jack."


End file.
